Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-09-16

DER go. ----. -
"Who saw that"
1.-TWO witnesses; a woman and little
girln
"A woman and a little girl Bring them,
them" said Roger, laughing, as il feeling re-
lieved LET them see me and then say IL
they saw me commit this crime"
"You shall see them in few moments,n
said the judge.
AT last see one ray of hope" said Roger,
as they led him back to his cell
"Bring in Nine. Laroque alone" said the
Judge.
These two unhappy creatures, Henrietts
and Suzanne, had been ordered to present
themselves at Versailles, and with all their
remnant of strength they braced themselves
for this now ordeal Suzanne said: ado not
fear, mother; shall remember"
When Henrietta appeared before NJ Lig-
nerolles, the judge, she seemed to not havo
one drop of blood left in her whole body.
Her beautiful eyes were sunken, and at
times she made gestures so wild that one
might have thought her mad. A chair was
given her and she sank feebly into it
any mission is a painful one, madame.
You must know its motive; still, l shall not
recommence the terrible interrogatory that
you have borne already from NJ. Lacroix and
of which he has furnished me the notes"
"You could, then, have spared me this. as
can do nothing but repeat that word for
word"
"No, madame; for your sake, for your hus-
bands sake, hope that your answers will be
more precise, for your refusal to explain
yourself regarding the murder OF Larouette
is the condemnation of Laroque. Tell me
that you did not recognize your husband as
the assassin and give me the real murderer's
description, but do not maintain that you
were not witness of the crime.n
ra"!t is true, however," said the unhappy
woman in her heroic obstinacy.
Victoria was brought in and made TO re-
peat all she knew. Poor Henriette tried to
wear a look of surprise, but her face betrayed
her.
@This girl, said she, "has too lively im-
sgination, and it Is troubled by reading too
many novels. Her story is tissue OF ex-
travagant inventions. Neither my daughter
nor myself said the words she tells you, II
we had called Roger from the balcony ho
would have answered us, seeing himself
discovered, and would not have gone into our
neighbours house. All that, therefore, is I'M
reasonable"
@All that is unhappily true, madame said
Victoria.
"What have / done 10 you, my poor girl,
that you cause ME so much sorrowl And
what has my husband done that you bring
such an accusation upon him"
al have nothing to reproach either of you
with, and if l could have kept what l knew
to myself should have done So"
"You see, madame" said the judge, "the
deposition of this girl is clear and exact, and
does not vary. You were an involuntary
witness of that crime. What did you seef"
al saw nothing and heard nothing"
~Your silence Is the condemnation Of your
husband"
any husbands whole life pleads for him
and proves his probity."
Henrictte was led out and Suzanne took
her place in the witness chair. Both mother
and child were in deep mourning. An in
tense inward fever burned in the childs
veins and showed in her cheeks and her great
blue eyes, which fairly blazed with light
She looked at the judge with q terrified air,
and he took her by the hand gently and
kissed the pure white forehead
"And you, my little one, will you DO more
reasonable to-day than you were yesterday
Has some one told you that you would cause
your father great trouble il you told what
you saw your birthday night when you were
on the balcony with your motherp
al saw nothing, sir. l don't know any
thing and wish they would let me alone. l
am sick, and l did not want to come.
don't know what they want me to do, nor
why my mother cries all the time, and
can't tell you what didn't see. My mother
says it is wrong to tell lies"
She began to SILVER, and her little white
teeth chartered together in n severe chill, and
from red her checks turned blue.
II see" said the judge, shat you will say
nothing. You are very courageous, and l
will neither persuade nor threaten you nor
try to show you that the worst thing that
could happen to your father is for you to re-
main silent. No, my child; another than l 4
shall undertake that charge"
AT sign from the judge Henriette was
brought back. One glance showed these two
that they had kept their compact
"Bring Laroque ill.," said the judge in a
whisper, and an officer went for him and
brought him. The court rom was badly
lighted and Roger stopped on the threshold,
at first seeing nothing Then his eyes fell
upon his wife and child and lie clasped his
hands, and his face frightened as he gave u
low cry of joy and sprang toward them with
open arms.
"Susanne Henriettel Ny daughterl My
beloved wife!n
But Susanne and Henriette, surprised by
his sudden appearance, drew back with q
horror so visible that the judge shuddered.
Instinct was stronger than will, and they saw
in Laroque not the adored husband and
father, but the assaSsin-the man with burn
ing eyes, with bushy beard, with great
powerful shoulders and hands, whom they
had seen strangle that poor old man. And
Roger understood this terror and was troubled
by it,
"What, lie stammered, "you fly from met
In what have changedl Is it because an in
sensate accusation hangs over me, as ridicu-
lous as it is unmerited, that l am neither
your father, Susanna, nor your husband,
uan,daffagu